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MORE THAN HALF of the money allocated by a European fund to retrain workers who lost their jobs after a factory closed in Dublin two years ago might be returned.
In 2014 the government applied for European Globalisation Funding for 400-plus workers made redundant at Lufthansa Technik in Rathcoole, Co Dublin. A programme fund of €4.15 million was agreed, of which €2.49 million would come from the European Commission. The programme deadline is September 2016.
Documents obtained by Sinn Féin under the Freedom of Information Act indicate that the Lufthansa programme will only spend €1.5 million of the €4.15 million by September.
“Only €975,000 of the European Commission’s €2.49 million contribution will be spent. The remaining €1.5 million will have to be returned to Brussels,” Sinn Féin’s Dublin Mid-West TD Eoin Ó Broin said.
He has called on Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan and junior minister Damien English to “do everything in their power” to ensure the full fund is spent before the deadline.
The European Globalisation Fund is a European Commission-run programme aimed at helping get redundant workers back into employment. It also provides funding for young people not in education, training or employment.
“Ministerial pressure needs to be brought to bear on the Education and Training Board, the local employment office, Solas and the Higher Education Authority to use the funds that have been made available to them,” Ó Broin said, adding that training for unemployed young people must be prioritised.
TheJournal.ie has contacted the Department of Education for comment.
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Heard his father being interviewed. He sounds like a broken man. Hopefully he will finally get justice for his son
Jesus what a horrible death…if someone done that to my brother or son I would hunt them down. I hope that poor man gets justice for his son.
My heart goes out to his family. Such a terrible and inhumane thing to happen to his son. I hope they find who did this because what they did is not normal..I hope the family get through this terrible time and remember all the good times with their beloved son. xxx
Parasites
RIP Burkey
This really is the week of murderers putting their victims into bins. Such a tragedy in both cases. So sad to think about their suffering. Hopefully their souls’ journies meet with happier moments. Condolences to the families of Mark
The fathers name not noel
Kiki..I guess that’s your name..stfup..I hope they can find our what happened. Might just bring a tiny bit of closure.
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